Store and Utilization
of Rainwater with Tameike Cistern System at Rural Areas in Northeast Thailand

Naoki Utsunomiya
and Isao Minami
Kyoto University, Japan

Abstract

In northeast Thailand, 10 tameikes, designed to store rainwater which is catched
at paddyfield, were constructed at two villages where they often suffer from,
drought damage under rainfed condition. Field data on the ability of tameike pond
t conserve rainwater and the possibility of the rainwater utilization for agricultural
production were collected.

It was shown that rainwater was efficiently catched and stored with tameike
system in rainfed farming areas. Every pond was filled with rainwater flowed from
paddyfields during wet season and the rainwater could be conserved even under
dry season condition. The stored rainwater seems to have the ability not only
to alleviate drought damage but also of desalinization.

Rice cultivation has not 'been affected y dry spell caused by erratic rainfall
because the stored rainwater could decrease the damage. In addition, horticultural
crops rowing and fish raising were promoted owing to the available water all seasons.
Although the benefits areas of the' rainwater for these crops or fish cultivation
were confined, 'the amount of their productions was enough to meet self-sufficiency.
In some cases their products seem to have a potential to increase income.

These suggests that tameike system is an effective measure which develops rural
life in small scale with utilization of rainwater in rainfed areas. This system
is more adaptable to improve the subsistence agriculture. The avoidance of the
drought and increased the agro-aquaculture due to the stored rain water may increase
the standard of living in the village.